{"id":4978,"date":"2014-08-26T20:49:58","date_gmt":"2014-08-27T03:49:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stapletonion.com\/?p=4978"},"modified":"2014-08-26T20:49:58","modified_gmt":"2014-08-27T03:49:58","slug":"forest-city-opens-prairie-dog-and-pigeon-preserve-nature-trail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stapletonion.com\/?p=4978","title":{"rendered":"Forest City Opens Prairie Dog and Pigeon Preserve Nature Trail"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"prairie-dog-preserve\"<\/a>Recently, Forest City opened up the 26th Ave. Park<\/a> on Fulton and 26th. The park is not what was originally promised, however, it is a new place for kids to come play. Forest City also created a black top trail that runs parallel to 26th Ave. beginning at Fulton and continuing to Clinton St. This hastily made \u201ctrail\u201d may have some bumps along the way, and parts of the trail have serious flooding issues after a rain, but what often gets missed among the uneven path, mud, and the weeds, is nature\u2019s incredible beauty.\n\n\u201cI run that path almost daily,\u201d said resident Brian Halsor. \u201cI take the kids in the Bob Stroller<\/a> and they love to see the hundreds of prairie dogs running around. \u2018There\u2019s one,\u2019 \u2018there\u2019s another one,\u2019 they shout as we run along the three-quarters of a mile path. It\u2019s fun for them, I guess.\u201d Others see even more beauty in the area. \u201cOf course you see the tons of prairie dogs,\u201d said Kaylynn Ball. \u201cBut, the smell of the weeds reminds me of playing in the corn fields when I was a kid growing up in Ithaca, and then most days, you get to see a handful of pigeons scavenging the ground.\u201d\nIt wasn\u2019t only residents that fell in love with the area. Forest City also realized the powerful beauty of the barren land between Fulton and Clinton which was previously slated to be a beautiful 25-acre park<\/a>. \u201cWe have been thinking about this for a long time,\u201d said Forest City Spokesperson Janelle Ayers. \u201cIn the end, we thought, \u2018if it ain\u2019t broke, don\u2019t fix it.\u2019\u201d Ayers feels that residents appreciate the area for its natural beauty, or even better, they have forgotten or given up on the original promise. \u201cResidents are so focused on other things right now,\u201d said Ayers. \u201cSo, those that haven\u2019t forgotten, don\u2019t even care about the 26th Ave. Park<\/a> anymore. And, then we have lots of folks who love seeing the wonderful prairie dogs.\u201d\nOn August 16th, with little announcement or fanfare, Forest City opened the Prairie Dog & Pigeon Nature Preserve Trail. \u201cThe trail is less than a mile,\u201d said Ayers. \u201cHowever, you will definitely see prairie dogs. We hope the trail will be to prairie dogs what Estes Park is to elk.\u201d The preserve will give the prairie dogs and pigeons on the trail protected status, meaning that they cannot be moved or hunted<\/a>. The trail is open to the public, but donations can be made by going to www.prairedogpreserve.com<\/a>.\n]]>\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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